Method of orienting bodies in an electric field and apparatus for performing same

ABSTRACT

A method of orienting bodies in an electric field and apparatus for performing such method. Bodies are oriented in an electric field generated by a pair of electrodes defining therebetween an orientation zone, the bodies being oriented under the action of a non-uniform alternating electric field, the non-uniformity of which, in a plane extending perpendicularly to the direction from the beginning to the end portion of the orientation zone, is similar to the non-uniformity of an electric field created by two electrically charged points in a plane including these two charged points.

nited Stta m loffe et al.

[54] METHOD OE ORHENTHNG EODHES IN AN ELECTO EHELD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING SAME Inventors: Benyamin Alexandrovlch llolle, ulitsa Rau- Filed:

nas, 45/2, kv. 81.; Robert Karlovich Kalnin, ulitsa Gorkogo, 53, kv. 19.; Vyacheslav Semenovich Dorofeev, ulitsa Frunzes, ll, kv. 5.; Ivan Avgustovlch Trushells, ulitsa B. Aluksnes, 3, kv. 27., all of Riga; Bruno Domenikovich Zhelgur, ulitsa Miera, l8, kv. 7., Latviiskaya SSR, Rizhsky raion, Salaspils; Anatoly Andreevich lvanov, ulitsa Krasnoflotskaya, 53, kv. 33., Gorky; Vladimir Viktorovich lPreis, prospekt Lenina, 82, kv. 12., Tula, all of U.S.S.R.

Dec. 15, 1969 Appl. No.2 885,189

Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 25, 1968 U.S.S.R ..1,289,064 Dec. 25, 1968 U.S.S.R ..1,289,065

U.S.Cl ..221/171, 198/33 Int. Cl ..B23q 7/12 [58] Fleldofsearch ..198/33;209/81.1;221/171; 194/100,100.5, 101

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,953,414 4/1934 Klose 194/101 2,228,294 l/194l Wurzbach ..209/8 11 2,129,512 9/1938 Wallin et al.... .....l94/l00.5

3,221,938 12/1965 Yonkers et a1 ..222/76 Primary Eramz'ner-Evon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Hadd S. Lane An0rney-Waters, Roditi, Schwartz & Nissen [5 7] ABSTRACT A method of orienting bodies in an electric field and apparatus for performing such method. Bodies are oriented in an electric field generated by a pair of electrodes defining therebetween an orientation zone, the bodies being oriented under the action of a non-uniform alternating electric field, the nonuniformity of which, in a plane extending perpendicularly to the direction from the beginning to the end portion of the orientation zone, is similar to the non-uniformity of an electric field created by two electrically charged points in a plane in cluding these two charged points.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAY 9 I972 3,661,298

SHEET 2 [IF a PATENTEDMAY 9 I972 SHEET H []F d METHOD OF ORIENTING BODIES IN AN ELECTRIC FIELD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING SAME The present invention relates to fields of engineering and manufacture in which various bodies are to be oriented in an electric field and, more particularly, to methods of orienting bodies in an electric field and to apparatus for performing such methods.

The invention can be used for introducing automation into production and handling processes which involve orientation of various bodies and articles, preferably, elongated ones, in the course of their manufacture or assembling into corresponding units of machines and instruments.

The present invention can be used most profitably for the orientation of small-size articles in the radio and electronic industry and in clockand watchmaking, as well as in the manufacture of various measuring instruments and so forth.

A uniform constant electric field has been already used for positioning elongated bodies along the direction of the field. For example, there is known a practice of facilitating a grain sifting operation by placing grain onto a sieve which at the same time serves as one of a pair of electrodes, the other electrode of the pair being positioned above the first electrode. The electrodes are connected to a source of direct-current (D.C.) potential and, under the action of the electric field thus created, the individual grains are rotated into a position in which their greater dimension extends in the direction of this field see, for example, USSR Author's Certificate No. l28,684, Cl. k, 60/4).

However, a constant electric field cannot be used for the orientation of such bodies as constitute parts of instruments, machines, and so forth. This impossibility is brought about by the tendency of the bodies being oriented to act upon each other, to be attracted by structural members positioned adjacent to an orientation zone, and to become self-reoriented, as well as by several other factors opposing the forces applied to the bodies in a desired direction.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of orienting bodies in an electric field, which should be free from the abovelisted disadvantages, arising from using directcurrent potential for the purpose, as well as to provide an apparatus for performing such method, which should be capable of insuring accurate orientation of bodies, preferably, elongated ones, such as resistors, plug sockets, electric leads and electrodes of electronic and semiconductor devices, shafts, axles, pointers and suspension members of precision instruments, and the like.

This object is attained in a method of orienting bodies in an electric field created by a pair of electrodes defining therebetween an orientation zone, in which method, according to the present invention, each body is oriented by the action thereupon of a non-uniform alternating electric field, the non-uniformity of said electric field in a plane extending perpendicularly to the direction from the beginning of said orientation zone to the end thereof being similar to the nonuniformity of an electric field created between two charged points in a plane passing through said charged points.

It is preferred to create within said orientation zone at least two additional electrostatic fluxes spaced from each other so that said two fluxes should pass through different portions of said body being oriented and preferably through the maximally spaced portions of said body.

A method, embodying the present invention, can be an apparatus comprising at least one pair of spaced electrodes defining therebetween an orientation zone, said electrodes having a cross-sectional dimension which is substantially smaller than the spacing between said electrodes. The electrodes each include a wire conductor embedded within at least one plate adapted to support said body being oriented. Further, the apparatus comprises a plurality of spaced threadlike or tubular members made of an electrically insulating material, said plurality of thread-like or tubular members extending within a space between said pair of electrodes, along said electrodes and lying in a plane either passing through said pair of electrodes or extending parallel to such plane, said thread-like or tubular member being adapted to support a body being oriented.

The apparatus further includes at least two additional electrodes positioned above said pair of electrodes.

The present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of a method of orienting bodies in an electric field, as well as of several embodiments of apparatus performing such method, with due reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an apparatus for performing a method in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows an apparatus similar to that shown in FIG. 1, having four electrodes embedded within a panel of electrically insulating material;

FIG. 3 shows a two-level modification of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows in cross-section a five-level modification of the apparatus, shown in FIG. 2, featuring a cantilever-type structure;

FIG. 3 shows schematically a further embodiment of the invention, including a plurality of spaced tubular members of electrically insulating material supporting bodies being oriented; and

FIG. 6 shows schematically a further embodiment of the present invention comprising a pair of additional electrodes positioned above the main electrodes.

In FIG. 1 is provided a non-uniform alternating electric field within an orientation zone 1 defined between a pair of electrodes 2 connected to an A.C. voltage source 3. The electrodes are made of a wire having a diameter which is at least 10 times smaller than the spacing between the electrodes. Consequently, the non-uniformity of the electric field created by the electrodes 2 in a plane perpendicular to the direction from the beginning 1' to the end 1" of the orientation zone 1 is similar to the non-uniformity of a field created by a pair of charged points in a plane passing through said points.

This electric field is employed for orienting bodies 4 7 supported within the orientation zone 1 on a supporting panel 8 made of an electrically insulating material, with the action of the field rotating the bodies into a position in which the greater dimension of a body extends in the direction of the field.

In case of bodies made of electrically conductive materials such orienting rotation of a body is effected by the interaction of the electric field created by the electrodes 2 with electric charges induced at the end portions of the body. On the other hand, in case of bodies made of dielectric materials such orienting rotation is due to a known phenomenon of polarization of dielectric bodies, which involves creation of forces tending to rotate the body into a position in which the electrostatic flux passing through this body is of a maximal possible value.

The provisions for orienting bodies or articles made of any material, electrically conductive or dielectric, is an important asset of the herein disclosed method and of corresponding apparatus for performing same.

Illustrated in FIG. 2 is an apparatus wherein four wire electrodes 9, 10, 11 and 12 are embedded in a panel 13 made of electrically insulating material, the electrodes defining three zones for orienting articles 17. The spacing between each pair of adjacent electrodes is somewhat larger than the length of an article being oriented.

An apparatus of such structure is comparatively simple in manufacture, reliable in operation and provides for orienting simultaneously several streams of successively supplied articles of various kinds.

Even greater efficiency is displayed by rnulti-level apparatus, comprising several vertically spaced panels of electrically insulating materials, having wire electrodes embedded therein.

FIG. 3 shows a two-level apparatus including two insulating panels 18 and electrodes 19 21 embedded in these panels.

The two panels 18 are supported by upright supports 22, with the vertical spacing between the panels slightly exceeding the vertical dimension of the articles 23 being oriented.

FIG. 4 illustrates a five-level arrangement having five vertically spaced panels 24 made of insulating material, with wire electrodes 25 embedded therein. The plates are carried in a cantilever fashion by an upright support 26.

The apparatus shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, although of comparatively moderate dimensions, provide, nevertheless, for simultaneous orientation of a considerable amount of most types of articles, such as those indicated by numerals 27 34 FIG. 4 Moreover, with this multi-level structure the orienting operation is facilitated by the articles being additionally acted upon by the electric fields created by the electrodes of the adjacent panels.

Thus, the articles 31 and 32 are influenced not only by the electric field created by the pairs of electrodes 1 2 and 2 3 embedded in the panel 24 supporting these articles at the second level from below, but also by the electric fields of the respective electrodes of the adjacent panels from below the first level and from above the third level Although, in case of electrically conductive bodies, the use of panels made of electrically insulating materials as means for supporting these bodies during their orientation does not affect the orienting operation, in case of bodies having pronounced dielectric properties the efficiency of orientation is noticeably affected by these panels.

This is due to the fact that the electric flux between the electrodes passes mainly through the insulating panel itself, which more often than not is made of a material featuring great dielectric permeability, and only a fraction of this flux passes through a body being orientated.

In order to reduce the amount of the electric flux taken by the supporting member, it is in some cases advisable to have this supporting member made of spaced thin thread-like or tubular members 35 FIG. made of insulating material.

The tubular members can be, for example, secured to supports 36. The bodies 37 to be oriented are placed onto the tubular supporting structure, where they are oriented by the action of an alternating electric field produced between the wire electrodes 38 supplied with voltage from an A.C. source 3. The electrodes are carried by uprights 39.

The last-described modification may also be of a multi-level structure, as described in connection with the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this way, the efficiency of the orienting operation will be likewise increased, and it will become possible to perform orientation of a great variety of bodies or articles made of electrically insulating materials by an apparatus of moderate dimensions.

Illustrated in FIG. 6 is an apparatus for orienting bodies 40 and 41, wherein a pair of additional wire electrodes 44 and 45 is mounted above the respective main wire electrodes 42 and 43, both the main and the additional wire electrodes being connected to A.C. voltage source 3. The supporting member 46 of this apparatus is a vibratory chute or trough driven for oscillations by an electromagnetic drive 47. The portion of the supporting trough 46, underlying the additional electrodes, is convex in cross-section, for the ends of the successive articles 40 and 41, as they get onto this portion of the trough, to overhang the supporting surface. There will next be considered in greater detail the operation of the lastdescribed embodiment:

The articles 40 and 41 (of identical structure) feature electrical asymetry of their end portions, on account of each article having an aperture in only one of its end portions. The main wire electrodes 42 and 43 effect pre-orientation of the articles, influencing the latter to rotate into a position, when each article extends normally to the electrode 42 and 43, transversely of the trough 46. Before the articles arrive under the additional electrodes 44 and 45, the apparatus does not distinguish between the articles 40 and 41, although after the pre-orientation the articles 40 have their apertured end portions facing the wire electrode 42, whereas the apertured end portions of the articles 41 are facing the wire electrode 43.

When, in the course of their travel along the trough 46, the

successive articles 40 and 41 reach that portion of the trough which underlies the additional electrodes 44 and 45, the anicles are finally oriented according to the position of their apertured end portion, under the action of additional electrostatic fluxes created between the additional electrodes and the respective main wire electrodes.

The action of an electric field upon the solid end portions of the articles 40 and 41 will be different greater, in fact than the action of the same field upon the apertured end portions of these articles.

Consequently, the articles 40 topple onto this convex portion of the trough 46 in the direction of the chute 48, acquiring the position indicated at 40', and thereafter they travel along the chute 48 in position 40".

Similarly, the articles 41 topple in the direction of the chute 49, acquiring the position indicated at 41, whereafter they travel along the chute 49 in position 41".

In some cases, it may be found advisable to divide one of the two main wire electrodes, e.g. the main electrode 43, electrically into two parts, and to connect that part of the electrode 43, which underlies the additional electrode 45, to the main electrode 44 and further to connect both additional electrodes 44 and 45 to that terminal of the AC. voltage source 3, to which the other part of the electrode 43, not underlying the additional electrodes, is connected.

With the apparatus shown in FIG. 6 re-arranged in the lastdescribed way, it will operate in the same manner, as already disclosed in connection with FIG. 6. However, for articles featuring pronounced metallic properties, such re-arrangement will bring about more accurate pre-orientation and final orientation of the articles.

What is claimed is:

l. A method of orientating bodies in an electric field comprising generating said field by applying an AC. voltage to a pair of spaced electrodes defining therebetween an orientation zone, and orienting each body by the action thereupon of the thusly resulting non-uniform alternating electric field, the non-uniformity of said electric field in a plane extending perpendicularly to the direction from the beginning of said orientation zone toward the end thereof being so arranged as to be similar to the non-uniformity of an electric field created between two charged points in a plane including the same.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising generating at least two additional electrostatic fluxes within said orientation zone, said two additional fluxes being spaced from each other to pass, respectively, through different portions of each body being oriented.

3. An apparatus for orienting bodies in an electric field comprising at least a pair of spaced electrodes defining therebetween an orientation zone, each said electrode having a cross-sectional dimension which is substantially smaller than the spacing between said pair of electrodes.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, comprising a panel of electrically insulating material and wherein each said electrode comprises an electrically conductive wire extending inside said panel, said panel providing a supporting surface for each body being oriented.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, comprising a plurality of spaced narrow members of an electrically insulating material, said plurality of members extending between and longitudinally of said pair of electrodes, said plurality of members being coplanar with said electrodes and providing a supporting surface for each body being oriented.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, comprising at least a pair of additional electrodes respectively disposed above the first said electrodes and electrically connected in such manner that each said additional electrode is under an electric potential different from that of the respective of the first said electrodes.

* a a a a 

1. A method of orientating bodies in an electric field comprising generating said field by applying an A.C. voltage to a pair of spaced electrodes defining therebetween an orientation zone, and orienting each body by the action thereupon of the thusly resulting non-uniform alternating electric field, the nonuniformity of said electric field in a plane extending perpendicularly to the direction from the beginning of said orientation zone toward the end thereof being so arranged as to be similar to the non-uniformity of an electric field created between two charged points in a plane including the same.
 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising generating at least two additional electrostatic fluxes within said orientation zone, said two additional fluxes being spaced from each other to pass, respectively, through different portions of each body being oriented.
 3. An apparatus for orienting bodies in an electric field comprising at least a pair of spaced electrodes defining therebetween an orientation zone, each said electrode having a cross-sectional dimension which is substantially smaller than the spacing between said pair of electrodes.
 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, comprising a panel of electrically insulating material and wherein each said electrode comprises an electrically conductive wire extending inside said panel, said panel providing a supporting surface for each body being oriented.
 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, comprising a plurality of spaced narrow members of an electrically insulating material, said plurality of members extending between and longitudinally of said pair of electrodes, said plurality of members being coplanar with said electrodes and providing a supporting surface for each body being oriented.
 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, comprising at least a pair of additional electrodes respectively disposed above the first said electrodes and electrically connected in such manner that each said additional electrode is under an electric potential different from that of the respective of the first said electrodes. 